15. Cody Payne

plymouthwhalers.com

Current Team: Plymouth Whalers, OHL

Age: 19

Drafted: Fifth Round, 145th Overall, 2012

Florida native Cody Payne has improved dramatically since being drafted last summer. This season the power winger is taking fewer penalties and scoring roughly five times as many goals as he did last season.

Through 48 games, his 33 points mark a 29-point increase over his total from a year ago. After a streaky start to the season, Payne managed a point-per-game clip in January.

He'll need plenty of seasoning over the next few years, but he could turn into a solid third-line winger in Boston.

13. Brian Ferlin

Cornell sophomore Brian Ferlin has a lot in common with fellow Bruins prospect Cody Payne. Both 200-pound power forwards grew up in Florida, and both are expanding their offensive skills this season.

After a strong freshman campaign for the Big Red, Ferlin got off to a slow start in 2012-13. Though his play was hardly lacking, he struggled to rack up points. However, he has started to build momentum of late, and he is beginning to catch some attention.

He's a long-term project, but he could be a strong two-way winger at the next level.

12. Lars Volden

Though overshadowed by Malcolm Subban and Niklas Svedberg, Lars Volden has shown tons of potential in Finland this season.

While playing for the Espoo Blues, Volden led the entire SM-liiga in goals-against average (2.01) while ranking fourth in save percentage (.927) right behind Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Anders Lindbäck, who spent the lockout in Finland.

Now on loan with Jokipojat in Finland's second tier, Volden is continuing to thrive, though playing against weaker competition. More top-flight European experience could help the Norse goalie climb the Boston ladder.

9. Jared Knight

Selected with a draft pick acquired in the Phil Kessel trade that also brought Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton to Boston, Jared Knight could someday make the well-known deal look completely lopsided.

Though injuries have limited him to just three games this season, Knight is a gifted forward with top-six potential at the next level. Last season he notched 52 points in 52 games as he led the London Knights to an OHL title. He should be lighting up AHL scoreboards soon, as long as he can stay on the ice.

8. Matt Grzelcyk

BU Athletics

Current Team: Boston University, NCAA-Hockey East

Age: 19

Drafted: Third Round, 85th Overall, 2012

Boston native Matt Grzelcyk has been a revelation on Comm. Ave. during his freshman season at Boston University. An offensive wizard on the blue line, Matt Grzelcyk could be a power-play weapon down the road.

He was the last cut from the American team that won gold at the World Junior Championships, but three-and-a-half more years of tutelage from BU coach Jack Parker should make him a tremendous asset at the NHL level.

7. Anthony Camara

Once considered to be little more than a big body bound for checking-line duty at the next level, Anthony Camara has changed a lot of minds this year by overhauling his offensive game.

After a dismal 14-point campaign a year ago, Camara has exploded for 28 goals and 22 points this season, with plenty of time left to augment his totals.

A hot start to the year earned him a surprise spot on Team Canada for the World Juniors, where he reminded the hockey world that his offensive improvement has not come at the expense of his notorious physical game. Camara received a suspension for dishing out the hardest hit of the tournament (video above), but a closer look reveals that the brutal blow was completely clean.

Though he may never justify comparisons to Milan Lucic, Camara should be a prototypical big bad Bruin.

6. Seth Griffith

thehockeyhouse.net

Current Team: London Knights, OHL

Age: 20

Drafted: Fifth Round, 131st Overall, 2012

Seth Griffith has spent the season scoring at a blistering rate. Until recently he ranked first in the Ontario Hockey League in points, and he has since been surpassed by only Philadelphia Flyers prospect Nick Cousins.

Passed over for four rounds in the 2012 draft, Griffith could be a diamond in the rough. Debate rages as to how he'll translate to the NHL game, but his work rate, vision and nose for the net could make him a star.

He may never match his major junior dominance at the next level, but he certainly could be a top-six forward in a few years.

5. Torey Krug

Former Michigan State Spartans captain Torey Krug is one of many undersized defensemen in the Bruins system, but he is probably the best.

Despite his small stature, Krug is no slouch in his own zone. He is a mature, hard-working defender who isn't afraid to throw his body around. On the other hand he is just as strong at the offensive end.

Although he started slow in his first full professional season, he has been on a tear of late. In five games since January 25, he has posted three goals, six assists and plus-five rating.

The 21-year-old joined the Bruins as an undrafted free agent late last season and has already enjoyed a taste of the NHL. He won't wait long to get another crack.

3. Malcolm Subban

Aaron Bell/OHL Images

Current Team: Belleville Bulls, OHL

Age: 19

Drafted: First Round, 24th Overall, 2012

The Bruins' most recent first-round pick has enjoyed a remarkable season in Belleville, pushing a low scoring squad into the OHL's elite. The athletic netminder ranks second among OHL goalies in goals-against average and third in save percentage.

Though he suffered plenty of undue criticism for his part in Canada's World Junior Championship disappointment, Subban turned in a strong performance at the U-20 showcase.

He started all but one of Canada's games, including group-stage wins over a gold-medal winning Team USA and tournament host Russia.

The supremely talented teenager is raw but projects to be an elite-level workhorse at the NHL level.

2. Ryan Spooner

Earning his first NHL call-up this week, Ryan Spooner may not be a prospect for long. The playmaking forward is set to make his debut against the Canadiens in Montreal on February 5.

He ranks second on the P-Bruins in points in his first professional season, and he may be ready to make an impact in Boston.

Though he hasn't been afforded much time to develop in Providence, the 21-year-old is mature beyond his years and has loads of offensive upside. Keep an eye out for him in the NHL over the next few weeks.

1. Alexander Khokhlachev

Russian forward Alexander Khokhlachev is Boston's new No. 1 prospect. The high-scoring winger has top-six forward written all over him.

Though a brief stint in Russia's KHL didn't pan out as hoped, Khokhlachev has found ample opportunity to showcase his talents this season. He played alongside Nail Yakupov on Russia's top line at the World Junior Championships for the second straight year, producing five points in seven games en route to a bronze medal.

Following the tournament, Khokhlachev made the decision to return to the Ontario Hockey League to further develop his game. Back in Canada, he has lit up the scoreboard with 18 points in 12 games.

Though he will likely need to spend a year or two in the AHL before carving out a spot in Boston, Khokhlachev is overflowing with upside and has the most star potential of any Boston prospect.